“Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples; baptize them in the name
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I
have commanded you.”
(Matthew 28: 19-20)
The Rite of Christian Initiation of
Adults (RCIA) is the process by which people become members of the Roman
Catholic Church. The process is concerned with the total formation of the person
into believing, living with, praying with, and serving with the Church
community. This gradual development culminates in the celebration of the
Initiation Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist at Easter
time.
The Rite is designed primarily for
those seeking baptism; that is, those not baptized previously. However, because
of the nature of conversion as an ongoing reality, the RCIA can be adapted for
those baptized in other Christian denominations now seeking membership in the
Roman Catholic Church. As such, the RCIA is a flexible process which respects
the faith development of each individual while maintaining the ideals and vision
of the Catholic community.
The gradual movement towards
Christian initiation is a process and not a program. It should not be compared
or equated with parish renewal programs or adult education programs. Rather, it
is the way for the Church “to be”; it is the way the Church exists. As such,
the dimension of time will vary according to need and individual. The time
necessary for formation in the faith cannot be rushed. The process of Christian
formation is analogous more to the blooming of a flower than to the construction
of a building.
In a strict sense, the RCIA is the process to be
followed for becoming a Catholic Christian as an adult. But in a fuller sense,
this process for becoming is also the model for remaining a Catholic Christian.
While the RCIA encourages the
adaptation of its format to specific communities and circumstances, the basic
process is as follows:
 |
Period of Inquiry or Pre-catechumenate |
|
Period of the Catechumenate |
|
Period of Enlightenment or
Purification |
|
Period of Mystagogy |
The RCIA is a vital and significant
liturgical process because it respects the valuable and revered tradition of the
Catholic Church, while also addressing itself to the meaningfulness of the
Christian faith in the contemporary world. As a result, the RCIA is not
something for the Church to do. Instead, it is the way for the Church to be. It
is the Church always renewing itself, always being born again. The Church’s
identify and mission are expressed and constituted through its process of
initiation. For this reason, the RCIA could well be the most exciting,
challenging, and contagious activity for the contemporary Church.
At St. Dominic’s Parish, the RCIA
process is offered each Wednesday evening at 7
p.m.
Parishioners who commit to being
sponsors for those in the RCIA process share their faith-journey with others,
and in doing so, enrich their own faith.
Any practicing Catholic who has
received the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation) is
eligible.
|
Become a Sponsor for someone in the RCIA process |
|
Pray for the RCIA participants and the RCIA Team (those who
volunteer to facilitate the RCIA
process) |
|
Encourage those who have questions, or who have
shown interest in the Catholic Faith, to
become a participant in the RCIA process |
For further information
please contact
Fr. Chuck Collins
785-4574
